Farmington’s Line A Team Strength

FARMINGTON — Zach Nickell is the elder statesman on the Farmington offensive line.

The senior is a veteran of the annual Battle of Highway 62 against Prairie Grove. And even though this game is old hat for Nickell, its importance is not lost on the Cardinals’ left tackle.

“This is my last chance to beat them, and I really want to beat them one last time,” he said.

Farmington (4-0, 1-0 4A-1 Conference) has won four of the past six meetings between these longtime neighboring rivals, although Prairie Grove won last year's game 28-21. The Cardinals advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals last season, and Nickell and his teammates are out to prove last season was not a one-hit wonder.

“We are trying to prove people wrong,” he said. “A lot of people think last year was a fluke, that Farmington just had one good year and won’t be near as good this year.

“We want to prove them wrong.”

The play of Farmington’s offensive line this season has been a team strength, said coach Mike Adams. Although the unit is short on experience, it is long on imposing size with Jeremy Alexander (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), Michael Ryan (6-3, 265), Morgan Lewis (6-1, 220) and Hayden Sutton (5-11, 250). And Nickell is the brains of the unit, having scored a 34 on his ACT, Adams said.

Sutton, a sophomore, credited offensive line coach Spencer Adams with molding the group and helping it come of age quickly.

“Coming in, we were kind of worried because we were so young and lost a lot of seniors last year,” Sutton said. “But we’ve stepped up and got to know each other. And coach Adams has done a really god job of coaching us up.”

The Cardinals powered over Gentry last week in the conference opener despite falling in a big hole early. Spencer Boudrey rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and quarterback Keaton Austin had a solid game passing.

Mike Adams said the line has done a good job in run blocking, but the real surprise has been how well they have provided protection in the passing game on five-step drops.

“I though that would be the area we would really struggle with,” Adams said. “But again I think a lot of that is due to Spencer. He has a lot of experience at that, having played offensive line in college. He’s really helped those guys progress.”

Lewis will draw the tough task on Friday of going nose-to-nose with Prairie Grove’s Jared Murphy, who plays nose guard for the Tigers (3-0, 1-0). Mike Adams said the matchup should be a good one.

“Morgan has done real well when teams have played a nose guard against him,” Adams said. “He’ll have a big test this week with the Murphy kid. It’ll be an interesting battle between those two.”

It always is when these two towns, separated by just a few miles of divided highway, get together in one of Washington County’s oldest rivalries.